Machinations
by gryffindormischief
Summary: How hard can it be to fool Lily Evans?


A/N: some sixth year James & Lily time :)

* * *

"Please, don't leave."

James stopped, still facing away from Lily, arms frozen in the act of pulling his invisibility cloak back over his shoulders.

As he turned around, Lily cracked a small smile, "Can you take that off?"

Ruffling his hair, James smirked, "I'll take off whatever you-"

"Oh bloody hell James don't pull that, you know what I mean," Lily grumbled, although her cheeks still bloomed with color, "It's really very disconcerting talking to a disembodied head."

Letting the silky material slip from around him, James tucked the heirloom away into his belt, "I really didn't even want you to realize I was here."

Quirking a brown, Lily scoffed good-naturedly, "Oh really? Shocking. I thought stalkers wearing invisibility cloaks _wanted_ people to know when they were around."

Stepping closer, footsteps ringing through the drafty corridor, James spoke in a low voice, "I think you know what I mean, _Evans_. Now you're just being difficult."

"It's in my nature," she volleyed saucily, closing the distance between them she whispered, "Is that problem?"

James gulped, face heating up, "Er- no, I-"

Slowly, Lily backed him towards the wall, his breath leaving him in a huff as his shoulders connected with the stone walls, the chill seeping through his untucked and wrinkly dress shirt, "Now, Evans…"

"I thought we were on first names, _James,_ " Lily whispered, breath fanning across his chin.

"Uh- er- right then," James mumbled, hand flitting nervously to his perpetually messy locks once again, mouth going dry.

Running a finger over the buttons of his shirt, Lily looked at him through her lashes unexpected mischief sparkling in her emerald eyes, "I _told_ Remus I'd be able to freak you out!"

James' brow furrowed in confusion, " _What?_ "

"When I told him not to come out so soon after the full moon-"

"Wait, you _know_?"

Lily rolled her eyes with a snort, "Of course, doesn't take a genius. You'd think he and Dumbledore would manage to come up with better excuses – but that's beside the point."

Noting that the prefect still hadn't stepped away, James asked, "So what _is_ the point?"

Biting her lip in thought Lily answered, "Oh, right! The only way he agreed to stay in bed was if I let him send you."

"But it was _my_ idea…both parts," James replied, his entire face scrunching in consternation. If she hadn't been concerned with gloating, among other things, Lily would have basked in the adorableness of the expression. Instead she tucked it away in her mind for later on, _focus Evans._

"That is exactly what we _wanted_ you to think."

James fiddled with his glasses needlessly, "But when?"

Lily grinned, brushing her fingertips over the collar of his shirt absentmindedly, "We made the deal after the last full moon when he was practically dead on his feet. And this time would've meant even less recovery before patrols."

Sweating at his temples, James fumbled around for something to say, _answer her you numpty_ , "So, er- the plan I made two days ago?"

"Was really all part of _my_ plan," Lily drawled, stepping back, allowing James' head to clear somewhat now that he wasn't completely enveloped in her scent and warmth, her body pressed – _bloody hell Remus is a dead man_.

He nodded thoughtfully, "So you've said…but I'm still not clear on what exactly the plan _was_."

Lily buffed her fingernails on her robes, her face full of a triumphant glow, "To do exactly what I did – flirt with you _so_ outrageously that you'd short circuit." She turned, slowly pacing the hall, torchlight flickering.

"What's that?"

Making a sharp turn, she faced him full on once again, "What _do_ they teach in Muggle Studies? Your brain essentially became mush – more so than usual."

"Oi!"

Shaking her head in mock disappointment, Lily strode over to James, whose back was still pressed to the wall, "Do be a good sport, love."

James' only answer was narrowing his hazel eyes behind his spectacles.

A smile pulled at the corner of Lily's lips as she contemplated his face, _too adorable_. Without giving herself time to second-guess, Lily rose on her tip toes and pressed a brief kiss to the corner of James' mouth, dropping her heels and pulling back, treading quickly down the hall without giving him a chance to react.

Blinking sluggishly, James reached his long fingers towards his face, lightly touching the place Lily's lips had just been, _where her lips had-_

"Coming then, Potter?" Lily called from down the corridor; face cast in shadows, camouflaging her flushed cheeks.

Face splitting into a grin, James trotted towards her, "Right-o Evans."


End file.
